Tony Anselmo

Tony Anselmo
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Name	Tony Anselmo
Birth date	18 February 1960
Birth place	Torrance, California
Occupation	actor, animator
Years active	1979–present
Known for	Voice of Donald Duck

Tony Anselmo is an American actor and animator best known as the official voice of Donald Duck and a longtime contributor to Walt Disney Animation Studios. He succeeded Clarence Nash's legacy after training under Clarence "Ducky" Nash and has worked on films, television, theme parks, and video games for The Walt Disney Company. His career spans collaborations with studios, directors, producers, and performers across multiple franchises and productions.

Early life and education

Born in Torrance, California, Anselmo attended local schools before enrolling at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), a program founded by Walt Disney and associated with the Disney Studios and the School of Film/Video. At CalArts he studied under animation instructors linked to Disney Animation, Pixar Animation Studios, and alumni who worked with figures such as John Lasseter, Tim Burton, and Brad Bird. He trained alongside peers who later joined Warner Bros. Animation, Hanna-Barbera, Nickelodeon Animation Studio, DreamWorks Animation, and Sony Pictures Animation.

Career

Anselmo's early career included internships and assistant roles at Walt Disney Feature Animation during a period that produced films associated with directors like Ron Clements, John Musker, Glen Keane, Eric Goldberg, and Don Hahn. He collaborated on projects tied to The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and the broader Disney Renaissance. His animation work connected him with producers and studios such as Jeffrey Katzenberg's DreamWorks SKG and executives from Michael Eisner's era at The Walt Disney Company. Over decades he worked across departments that interfaced with DisneyToon Studios, Walt Disney Imagineering, Buena Vista Distribution, and partner companies like Lucasfilm, Marvel Entertainment, Pixar, and 20th Century Studios.

Voice acting as Donald Duck

Anselmo was mentored by Clarence Nash, the original voice of Donald Duck, and formally became the official voice of Donald Duck after Nash's retirement. He has voiced Donald Duck in productions connected to Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, and ensembles that include characters from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs era legacy shorts and modern projects. His performances appear in films and series allied with titles such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Three Caballeros revisitations, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, House of Mouse, and Mickey and the Roadster Racers. He provided the voice in cross-media projects involving Disney Parks, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and attractions developed by Walt Disney Imagineering.

He also performed Donald Duck for video games and interactive titles tied to franchises developed by Square Enix, Capcom, Electronic Arts, and Disney Interactive Studios, including entries connected to Kingdom Hearts and licensed appearances alongside Mickey Mouse in ensemble casts. His voice work brought Donald Duck into collaborations with characters from Star Wars and Marvel Comics in theme park shows and promotional events curated by The Walt Disney Company.

Other voice and animation work

Beyond Donald Duck, Anselmo contributed animation and vocal work on projects involving directors and creators such as Glen Keane, Brad Bird, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, and Chris Buck. He worked on animated features and shorts related to Fantasia, The Emperor's New Groove teams, and television series produced by Disney Television Animation, DIC Entertainment, WildBrain, and Toon Disney. His animation credits link to production staff from The Simpsons era talents, Futurama alumni, and crossover work with artists who animated for Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, and other classic franchises managed by Warner Bros. Discovery.

Anselmo has also participated in recording sessions, conventions, and panels alongside voice actors from The Muppets, Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera, Pokémon, Dragon Ball, Studio Ghibli dubs, and international dubbing directors who coordinate with companies like Funimation, Crunchyroll, and Netflix Animation for localized content.

Personal life

Anselmo has balanced a professional life within The Walt Disney Company with private ties to colleagues across CalArts, Disney Animation alumni networks, and industry organizations such as the Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839). He has participated in events tied to San Diego Comic-Con, D23 Expo, Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and retrospective screenings at institutions like the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Walt Disney Family Museum. He lives in California and engages with charitable and educational programs associated with arts institutions like The Meadows School alumni efforts and university animation programs.

Awards and recognition

Anselmo's work has been acknowledged at industry gatherings including honors from ASIFA-Hollywood, the Annie Awards, and recognition by The Walt Disney Company for contributions to legacy characters such as Donald Duck. He has appeared in retrospective exhibitions celebrating figures like Walt Disney, Clarence Nash, Ub Iwerks, Frank Thomas, and Ollie Johnston, and has been part of panels alongside recipients of the Academy Award, the Emmy Awards, and lifetime achievement awards presented by organizations such as The Walt Disney Family Museum and D23.

Category:American voice actors Category:American animators Category:Walt Disney